It Takes a Grandma

What does it take to create a homestead? I’ve been pondering this question lately. As we dig in, marking off the areas where our homes and future outbuildings will be built, this question looms large in my mind.

Homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. It is characterized by subsistence agriculture, home preservation of food, and it may or may not also involve the small scale production of textiles, clothing, and craftwork for household use or sale. ~wikipedia

 

Mr. Bluejeans and I are at the threshold of homesteading, rocking back and forth on our feet waiting to cross over and step onto our land permanently. As I’ve said many times of late “Once the rain is gone and the driveway is in…” ad nauseam.

But it’s true, we are close and I realize if I look up from the muddy, rain soaked path I see a very LARGE project ahead. I don’t say daunting because Mr. Bluejeans and I never shy away from a challenge and a challenge this is!

There are times I wish I listened more to my Grams. She lived with us and I was very lucky to grow up with her in our home. She grew up knowing the things that make homesteading “easier”. These principles were second nature to her. Canning, sewing, gardening, preserving and even light auto care were the things I watched my Grams do and best of all she taught me these things and more. Grams rocked! As I pondered this “what does it take to create a homestead” question… the realization came… it’s because of her that homesteading makes so much sense to me.

While building outbuildings, water storage, power, cooking, carpentry, planting, woods management and more lie ahead of us… it occurs to me it’s not the physical, material items that create a homestead (although they are necessary) but for me the bottom line is, it takes a certain type of spirit to create a homestead.

Call it a “joie de vivre”, a thrill-seeker outlook, a positive attitude… you get the idea. It’s the courage in the heart of the pioneers who had to do what they had to do. We are fortunate, in this day and age, to be able to CHOOSE this lifestyle. So as Mr. Bluejeans and I teeter on the threshold of this amazing life to come, I realize we have everything it takes to create our homestead… courage, willingness to meet a challenge and a large batch of knowledge that Grams passed along without me even knowing it.

What inspired you to homestead?